Austrian Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel)
Austrian Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel) is a Austrian classic for good reason — curd cheese does most of the work, and the method is approachable enough for a weeknight. It sits firmly in the Austrian tradition, so expect the flavours you would get from a good home kitchen there. Below you will find the full ingredient list, the method, and a few tips we think make the difference.
- Cook 1h
- Total 1h
- Serves 4
- Level Medium
Ingredients
- 1 cup Curd cheese, quark/topfen/farmer cheese
- 1 Standard egg
- 3 –4 tablespoons semolina flour
- Salt
- At least 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 10 small Apricots
- 10 Cubes of sugar
- 5 tbsp Butter, or more if needed
- 2 cup Bread crumbs
- 5 tbsp Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Powdered Sugar
Method
- Mix the curd with the egg in a wide bowl. Add the semolina and a pinch of salt.
- Wait for about 20 minutes to allow the semolina to soak. Then, mix in as much flour as is necessary to make a smooth dough. In order to form fine dumplings later on, it is very important that the dough is not sticky. Again, wait for about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut the apricots into two halves. Remove the pits and replace them with a sugar cube. Then, put the halves of the apricots together again.
- Pour water and some salt into a big pot, and bring it to a boil.
- Form the dumplings: divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, and mould them into flat, round disks. Flouring your hands will prevent the dough from sticking onto them. Wrap each apricot with one disk of dough, then roll the dumpling between your hands. Make sure that there are no holes in the dough and that the dough sticks to the apricots. Try to form evenly round dumplings. Don’t worry if this does not work out perfectly the first time you prepare dumplings. The breadcrumbs and the sugar, which the dumplings will be covered with later on, will conceal any irregularities.
- Carefully put the dumplings into the boiling water. The water usually ceases to boil for a short while after the dumplings have been placed into the pot. Wait until it boils again, and then reduce heat. Let the dumplings boil slowly until they start rising to the surface of the water. Now cover the pot and wait for about another 4 minutes. The dumplings will gain size during this period.
- In the meantime, heat the butter in a pan and add bread crumbs along with sugar and a bit of cinnamon. Fry the breadcrumbs until they turn light brown.
- Drain the dumplings, then roll them in the toasted bread crumbs until they are covered all over.
- Serve the Marillenknödel together with the remaining bread crumbs, and coat them with much powdered sugar.
Tips for the best Austrian Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel)
- Let the egg come up to room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly.
- Rest the finished dish for a few minutes before serving — it lets the flavours settle and the texture firm up.
- Use a kitchen scale for the dry ingredients if you have one — baking is less forgiving than cooking.
Variations
- Swap the egg for silken tofu — keep the cooking time similar and check for doneness.
- Fusion twist: keep the method but swap the spices for your own favourites — the Austrian base takes well to it.
- Vegetable boost: stir in a handful of spinach, peas or diced peppers in the last few minutes of cooking.
Serving ideas
Serve slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoon of thick cream.
Storage
Keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week. Most versions freeze well for 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Austrian Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel) recipe medium to make?
It is rated medium: 12 ingredients and 9 steps. Follow the order and the tips above and it is very forgiving.
How long does Austrian Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel) take to make?
About 1 hour in total — roughly under an hour of preparation and 1 hour of cooking.
How many people does this Austrian Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel) recipe serve?
As written it serves 4. The quantities scale up or down in a straight line, so double everything for 4×2.
What can I substitute for curd cheese?
Any ingredient with a similar texture and cooking time works; see the variations below for ideas. Keep quantities the same and adjust seasoning at the end.
Adapted from Wikibooks Cookbook, CC BY-SA 4.0 — source
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